Worth Watching - June 13: Fifty Dead Men Walking Trailer

The trailer for Fifty Dead Men Walking from Canadian filmmaker Kari Skogland has been released by TVA Films (its Canadian distributor) today. This indie first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year but I missed seeing it there and still haven't had the chance to catch it. This trailer makes me feel like I shouldn't have missed it, as it looks like a good drama. Fifty Dead Men Walking stars Jim Sturgess, Ben Kingsley, and Rose McGowan (even though you don't really see her in the trailer). It seems like it has a good cast and great story, but I never heard many positive reviews from Toronto, so I'm not sure what to think.

In the 1980s when the Irish civil conflict was at its most dangerous, 22-year-old Martin McGartland (Jim Sturgess) from west Belfast was recruited by the British police to infiltrate and spy on the IRA.

Fifty Dead Men Walking is both written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Kari Skogland, of Men with Guns, Liberty Stands Still, Chicks with Sticks, and The Stone Angel previously. This is based on Martin McGartland’s shocking real life story as told in the book by the same name written by Nicholas Davies and McGartland. The film first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year but still hasn't been picked up be any US distributors. It might show up in theaters by the end of this year. Look good?

Yea, I gotta say this looks pretty badass.
It's hard to turn a political story into something full of action and suspense because they're usually paced so slowly, but I think this could pull it off if the trailer has any weight on the actual film.

K

Looks good, has a dark/gritty feel to it. However... this isn't a "new trailer", watched it back in March on movie-list.

PinkSushi

saw this few month ago now and honestly a Great Movie and Worth Seeing,decent acting.

I counted McGowan appearing twice in that trailer. Looks interesting hopefully this will be picked up and distributed.

Conrad

Yeah, i saw this trailer in theaters a while ago. I think I was seeing Friday the 13th...
This looks really good. Gritty, political-drama with thrills and kills. Why hasn't anyone picked this up yet?
Not popular or not good? hmmmm

Dar-El

Really enjoyed this but its not for the faint of heart as the torture scenes are a bit rough

LW

Ben Kingsley can play ANY ethnicity.... ANY ethnicity. He's yet to play a black guy though. lol ^^

DoomCanoe

looks alright.
this trailer looks like it was made in the 90's

Volumed

It was based well before the 90's hence the reason why it is made in this way

Dusty

It is an absolutely amazing gritty movie.. go see it... and yes, you should have not have missed it Alex. LOVED IT

Marty

As a former soldier who served in N.I. during the 80's & 90's. I can already see by the trailer that this film will be like most done about 'the troubles'. Unrealistic, far fetched, full of stuff that never actually happened. Especialy when they use the term 'Inspired by a true story'. That usually means there won't be much truth in it. I know all about McGartland, and his antics, so I'll see what they show about him. However, I will try to keep an open mind when I do see it.

Liz and Gerry Ward a-c

What a lot of old bull. How would you (as a soldier) know anything at all about a British Agent who was working deep undercover for the SB (Special Branch)? Give your head a shake.

neonblue120

looks good

jimmy

Just watched this movie.
A++
Excellent
Wasnt expecting it to be so great.
Must watch.

jimmy

I should add.
The trailer doesnt do the movie justice at all.

Steve Newcastle

As Marty McGartland has already said many times, " The Film Is As Close To The Truth As Earth Is To Pluto." I read this on McGartlands Bebo page (Martin McGartland) and on his website; http://www.fiftydeadmenwalking.co.uk and also in the press. He is not at all happy with the film. The IRA helped to make it, film makers hired ( and paid) them to work on film and even look after security, Joke or what ?
The Book Fifty Dead Men Walking is much better than the film, film was a big let down.
Steve

I just finished viewing the trailer and I say that the trailer makes the movie look very good. I haven't read the book but I know that the book is normally better than the movie in most cases.

Mary

great book and very sad story by a very brave man. The british done martin mcgartland over and they have goten away with it. I watched the film after reading the book. The film was not at all true to the facts of the story as written in book. I read blog by martin and he is still fighting Mi5 and northumbria police who he says are involved in a cover-up. Hope its all sorted soon because this makes british look very bad indeed. the man put his life on the line for others, for us.

Mary

Me too Mary. I read McGartland's Bebo and have copied it here;
Time for a clearout of the Northumbria Police political (Yes) policemen.
Northumbria Police, with the help of their Mi5 masters, are continuing with their smear campaign against British Agent Martin McGartland and the cover up of IRA involvment in his attempted murder in 1999.
Martin said; "Northumbria Police continue to act in a wholly corrupt manner when dealing with my case, my 1999 attempted murder investigation. Northumbria Police, if they wanted, could arrest and charge those involved with my attempted murder."
The McGartland case highlights how politicised the police have become during the past 13 years of a corrupted Labour government.
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Northumbria Police Mi5 Political Policing and Cover Up of IRA attempted murder of Martin McGartland
Political Policing by Northumbria Police and Mi5 - Cover Up of IRA involvment in 1999 attempted murder of Martin McGartland.
Political policing by Northumbria Police is being used to cover up the attempted murder, by PIRA, of Martin McGartland in June 1999. Northumbria Police have never charged anyone for the 1999 attemped murder. Martin says; " Northumbria Police under the orders, control of MI5 are frauds who use the excuse or should I say LIE of "national security" to cover up their actions." MI5 is a law on themselves, answerable to no one nor any institution or group of any kind in the UK. There is no accountability for political policing and so Northumbria Police can Lie, Cover Up any case they see fit."
"Northumbria Police (and their Mi5 masters) have serious questions to answer about my 1999 attempted murder, including MI5's involvement in the background." says Martin.
Northumbria Police, Mi5 have been party to the cover up, they are protecting IRA members and covering up IRA involvement. Northumbria Police can not be trusted to deal with the McGartland case.
Political Policing by Northumbria Police and Mi5 - Cover Up of IRA involvment in 1999 attempted murder of Martin McGartland.
Marty's life story is a great read. he is a brave guy. This was taken from his bebo blog;
http://www.bebo.com/c/home/index.htmlhttp://www.fiftydeadmenwalking.co.uk

raymond

The comments by 'Marty' above, "As a former soldier who served in N.I. during the 80's & 90's. I can already see by the trailer that this film will be like most done about 'the troubles' ... I know all about McGartland, and his antics, so I'll see what they show about him. However, I will try to keep an open mind when I do see it." I was an RUC officer and I, like many others, knew nothing about Martin McGartland. No one in british army whould ever have known about Martin McGartland. The only people who knew anything about McGartland was the very brave men and women from the RUC special branch officers.

Helen - Canada

The Kari Skogland film, fifty dead men walking, was very poor. When I first watched the film I thought it was great. Since then I read the book (fifty Dead Men Walking) which was mind blowing, I could not put the book down. Having read the book I have to ask why Skogland did not keep to the facts? The book would, it truth was told, have made a much better film. I heard Martin McGartland was unhappy with film, its very easy to see why. I hope someone will revisit the McGartland story as it will make a great real life true story, if done correctly. Kari Skogland distroyed a great book, story and her film in turn was a total flop. It was not helpful that some of her cast members stated they wanted to join the IRA or that the IRA were some of the best people thet had ever met. No wonder the film was a big flop.

Phil7632

Raymond is 100% correct when he says no-one knew about Martin McGartland other than those he worked with in Special Branch. The 'Marty' about is talking 'Bull'. There is a story on the net stating that Martin McGartland has began legal proceedings against MI5 AKA Security Service and also Sue (mad hair 1000) Sim AKA Northumbria Police. Those who know the Martin McGartland story will be well aware that MI5 abandoned him despite his saving well over 50 lives. Those who have not read the book (Fifty Dead Men Walking) should do so. The book is such a great read. Unlike the film, the book is a true story.

I remember the Martin McGartland court case, the one that resulted in his being shot. If I recall correctly Northumbria Police, the CPS and MI5 took a malicious prosecution against him (for which he was found not guilty) and this gave the IRA all the information it needed to target him. When the IRA did shoot Martin McGartland in 1999 Northumbria Police and British Giovernment covered up his attempted murder. I recall that McGartland sued Northumbria Police after they lied by telling press that his shooting was related to drugs. Martin McGartland sued and was paid over £250,000.00 in damages. Northumbria Police to this day are still lying and covering up the Martin McGartland case.